The event took place within AquaFarm 2026 at Pordenone Fiere, both in person and via live streaming, with a parterre of international speakers and participants. Eritrea is confirmed as a country rich in resources and potential for development and business for Italian operators
On February 19, 2026, as part of the AquaFarm trade fair, a workshop was held dedicated to the presentation of the "Market research on business opportunities in the fishery and agri-food sector in Eritrea", conducted by ITA - Italian Trade Agency. The event, organized in person and via live streaming with the support of the magazine Il Pesce, was characterized by a strong international significance both for the topics covered and for the profile of the participants.
The subject of the meeting was the presentation of an organic, realistic and feasible framework for the sustainable development of the Eritrean fishery supply chain, both marine and inland. During the proceedings, robust programs were illustrated, capable of activating processes of inclusive growth, business creation, technological innovation and increased commercial exchanges between Italy and Eritrea.
The workshop was moderated by Ike Olivotto, Professor at the Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM), who coordinated the contributions of Giuseppe Manenti, Director of ITA Nairobi, and Gianluigi Negroni, expert in fishery value chains. Taking part in the meeting in person was H.E. Fessahazion Pietros Menghistu, Ambassador of the State of Eritrea to Italy, while via streaming connection, H.E. Alfonso Di Riso, Ambassador of Italy in Eritrea, offered his greetings to the participants, reaffirming the need to work towards creating business opportunities between the two countries.
During the presentation, further contributions to the topics discussed were made by Francesca Biondo, Director of Federpesca, connecting from Rome, and Alessandro Basta, an Italian entrepreneur who shared the business experience of his company based in Mombasa, Kenya. Among the institutional contributions, the participation of Asmerom Kidane, Alternate Permanent Representative of the State of Eritrea to the FAO, IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development), and the WFP (World Food Programme) in Italy, was also noted.
The event, hosted within AquaFarm and preceded by a welcome greeting from the President of Pordenone Fiere, Renato Pujatti, was a unique opportunity to highlight the strengths of the value chain of the fishing and aquaculture sector in Eritrea.
Starting from the data collected in June 2025 during the exploratory mission of the Italian Embassy in Eritrea and ITA Nairobi, conducted jointly with the Ministry of Marine Resources of Eritrea, Gianluigi Negroni illustrated the state of the art of fishing and aquaculture activities in a country that boasts over 800 freshwater reservoirs, 1,340 km of coastline, 360 islands in the Red Sea, 1,000 fish species, and high coral biodiversity.
"This workshop was an important opportunity to introduce Eritrea and its opportunities to Italian operators," emphasized H.E. Fessahazion Pietros Menghistu. "Regarding fishing, the stretch of the Red Sea that the country overlooks is very rich, not only in terms of volume but also in product quality. The fishery resources are valuable, and the familiarity with Italy represents an excellent basis for the development of the fishing sector."
“The research on the fishing sector in Eritrea presented within the framework of AquaFarm 2026 was chosen for the unique characteristics of this country, characterized by a long coastline, a great availability of fish and a need for technology that Italy can offer,” recalled Giuseppe Manenti. “We therefore believe that our country is the best partner for Eritrea, not only for our high level of experience and capacity for technological innovation, but also for our know-how in small and medium-scale fishing. With this double value, we can truly offer Eritrea a possibility for development, for the improvement of fishing conditions, and for the living conditions of the population.”
Thanks to the collaboration of the Eritrean authorities, Italian experts developed the research based on field visits and interviews conducted in the main production areas of the country. The seminar represented an important opportunity for discussion between consultants, local authorities, and operators across the entire fishing supply chain, exploring cooperation opportunities between the two countries and fostering technological development, environmental protection, and the promotion of fish consumption as an integral part of a healthy and balanced diet. Fishery resources—both marine and freshwater—characterized by environmental conditions particularly favorable for salt extraction, present significant production potential and a good quality infrastructural base that is easily recoverable.
Domestic demand for fishery products is still very low (less than 1 kg per capita per year), due to the strong local tradition in ruminant farming (cattle, sheep, goats, camels) which has limited its consumption. However, there is a constant growth trend, also driven by ongoing intense urbanization processes and the evolution of dietary habits.
The growth in demand for fresh, processed, or live fish from regional markets (East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula) and international markets (EU, China, Middle East) is even more sustained, with particular interest in certified, traceable, high-quality products from sustainable supply chains. However, significant challenges remain, which could be transformed into strengths through a realistic and sustainable project approach.
“We have witnessed an event of great value from which we have certainly drawn very relevant information,” concluded Ike Olivotto. “The first is that cooperations are definitely successful if they become concrete. The second is that if we want to guarantee global food security looking to the future, we can no longer consider individual oceans separately, but we must recognize that there is one single great sea.” This sea, governed by different countries, must be administered sustainably to preserve its resources, integrating traditional fishing with the innovation of aquaculture. Fishing and aquaculture will have to work in synergy to meet future food needs.
With this edition, the Italian Trade Agency was present at AquaFarm for the fourth consecutive year, with its Agri-food Office overseeing the organization of an incoming delegation of foreign operators from various countries – including Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Kenya, Morocco, Slovenia, and Tunisia – in order to increase the international visibility of the event.
Useful links:
Link to the event slides available in English and Italian
To further explore the themes and development projects of ITA - Italian Trade Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies.
photo © ITA – Italian Trade Agency
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